What is a phishing email?
Almost everyone has gotten an email message disguised with the subject or message, “Your account has been suspended.” or “We need to verify your password.” These subject lines coupled with a spoofed (e.g., simulated) return address of Administrator@mit.edu, Admin@ebay.com, or AccountsDept@(your bank).com can confuse the untrained “fish.” Further, the messages themselves often contain logos, and trademarks that add to the deception. When trying to determine if email is authentic or not, remember one very important detail: no legitimate company will ever send you email requesting your username, password, or any other personally identifying information. Things to look for to verify if the email is a phishing email: • Spelling errors and bad grammar • Odd formatting (e.g., incorrect use of capital letters or punctuation) • No real person’s name included either in the greeting or the signature • A return or reply-to email address that is spoofed. You can view “full headers” to see what is l
Phishing is the act of sending an e-mail to a user falsely claiming to be an established legitimate business. It is an attempt to defraud the user and commit identity theft by having the user give their personal information. Please be aware that some individuals send emails using AlertPay’s branding and logo to defraud users. Remember: • AlertPay will never ask you for your personal details over email unless you have asked to reset your security questions or passwords. • You should never log into your AlertPay account by clicking on a link from an email. Make sure you type the AlertPay address into the address bar of your browser. Our site address should begin with HTTPS. • You should never share your Login Password or Transaction PIN with anybody. Do not use the same Login Password or Transaction PIN with any other website. Please view our Security Center at https://www.alertpay.com/info/SecurityCenter.aspx for more information.
